The Science of Climate Change in National Parks Video Series
These videos discover the science of climate change in national parks through interviews with scientists. You can also view these videos on Youtube.
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Sea Level Rise in Everglades National Park
Sea level rise presents an ever-increasing risk to the resources of Everglades National Park. This video explores how park staff are seeking to better understand the current and potential effects of sea level rise and adjusting their actions accordingly.
- Duration:
- 8 minutes, 48 seconds
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Glacial Change at Kenai Fjords National Park
Glacial melt is perhaps one of the more visually obvious effects of our changing climate. This video explores how park staff and scientists at Kenai Fjords National Park seek to better understand current and future glacial change and adapt in the face of an ever-changing park.
- Duration:
- 10 minutes, 5 seconds
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Species Loss, Precipitation, and Fire in Sequoia NP
Climate change in mountain ranges has many facets, ranging from temperature and precipitation patterns to natural fire frequency and intensity. This video explores how scientists study climate change and its impacts on the forest ecosystems of Sequoia National Park.
- Duration:
- 9 minutes, 13 seconds
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Climate Change & Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C.
Our nation’s capital is a regular destination for tourists year-round, but the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring is especially popular. This video examines how earlier blooming might impact cherry blossoms in the future.
- Duration:
- 4 minutes, 10 seconds
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Phenology & Citizen Science in Great Smoky Mountains
This video explores changing phenology (the timing of life cycle events such as flowering and animal migration) and how it is studied by resource managers and citizen scientists at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- Duration:
- 8 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ocean Acidification at Point Reyes National Seashore
Ocean acidification is rapidly changing the chemistry of ocean water worldwide and making it more difficult for many organisms to build their shells and skeletons. This video explores how park staff at Point Reyes National Seashore are working with local scientists to better understand the effects of ocean acidification, specifically on shellfish and other marine organisms.
- Duration:
- 7 minutes, 43 seconds
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Species' Range Shifts at Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP
As climate change creates new temperature and precipitation patterns, the ranges that some species occupy -- particularly in mountainous areas like the Sierra Nevada -- are changing. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have been re-surveying birds and mammals at sites in California that were first surveyed nearly 100 years ago by Joseph Grinnell. The results show how species' ranges have shifted in association with climate change. At the same time, staff at Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park are working to apply the science to park management and to engage the public in understanding what change means for future biodiversity in the park.
- Duration:
- 8 minutes, 30 seconds
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Citizen Science in the Changing Desert
As parks study the effects of climate change, citizen scientists play an increasingly important role in documenting natural changes. Learn how Earthwatch volunteers at Joshua Tree National Park help staff collect baseline data.
- Duration:
- 5 minutes, 51 seconds
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Anticipating Change at Gateway National Recreation Area
Gateway National Recreation Area provides a unique environmental and recreational refuge for residents of the New York City area. If rising sea levels make future storms and hurricanes more damaging, how can the park best serve the needs of the community and the ecosystem?
- Duration:
- 3 minutes, 58 seconds